In the Background - Suite Life on Deck

Weeeee....

Well Suite Life is back, only it's different. It's now The Suite Life on Deck, and takes place on the deck of a luxury liner owned by London Tipton's father (owner of the Tipton Hotel that the Suite Life of Zach and Cody took place in.). Zach and Cody, and London Tipton join the cruise as students in Seven Seas High, a schooling opportunity that has the kids, and many others, on board learning as they ply the seas. Dylan and Cole Sprouse, Brenda Song, and Phil Lewis are all back in their roles from the first series, and there are the crew and passengers who are portrayed by many of us background types who walked the halls of the Tipton Hotel.

Yes, I'm back too. And what a first week I had. I am union now, and Michelle (our 2nd 2nd) asked for my return, so with luck I will be on the show regularly, and with many Thursdays, as well as Fridays. This week, on the show's premiere episode, I was featured.

Being featured in background means that I was put into action with one of the leads, in this case in two scenes with Phil Lewis (who plays Mr. Moseby). There is a risk in getting a featured action when doing a show, and that is, the Director, 1^st AD, Writer, or Producer could walk up and say, “Oh...he'll never do, I want someone else”. So when you are handed a featured bit, you stamp ruthlessly on the urge to jump up and down like a school girl, shouting “yippee”, and look exactly like the professional everyone thinks you are. As they explained to me what we were going to do, and that I was going to get to mug for the camera to allow Mr. Moseby to say the line scripted for him, I never even let out the little “eeps” that were trying to come to the surface. Indeed, I kept my composure and performed with calm and confidence. Yep.

Then came the last scene of the day. Michelle came over and told me she needed me to stand in center stage, and hold the binoculars so Mr. Moseby, could again, interact with me. This time they had me looking up at the sky, which was the lights and walk ways above our heads, and Mr. Moseby would walk over and take the binoculars. We rehearsed the scene, and afterward, someone saw me with the binoculars hanging over my neck, and thought that having Moseby grab them and then have to pull them off my head would be even funnier, so we did a quick rehearsal and figured out how to make it work. Now there was a problem earlier in the day, when someone nearly passed out and they were afraid that we could have another injury, so the strap around the neck was dropped, and instead, we would just have him take them from me.

Now here is how you save your featured bit, and get the notice of the crew at the same time. I called over the script supervisor who was standing nearby, and suggested that when Mr. Moseby tried to take the binoculars, I would not let go of them, and he and I would have a short game of tug o' war instead. She liked the idea and took it over to the Phil, the Director, and others that were discussing some issue of the scene, and they liked it. That became the choreography, and when the first episode of the season airs, I will be seen in two scenes, one at the opening and one near the end of the show. I waited until I was off the lot, and on my way to the car before acting like an over excited kid at a party.

I know I have said it before, but I really am glad that I gave up the security of my job and moved back to So. California to get involved in this whole business. I am having a heck of a journey, and if I never get all I want to out of this, I am going to enjoy the trip. I'm writing scripts, doing computer effects, acting, producing, and having a ball, and yes there are tough spots and not everything is turning up roses, but frankly, when you're doing something you love doing, whining about what isn't working is just silly. I'm in this for the journey, and with any luck it will be years before the ride ends.

Phil...